`The result is now clear: a record voter turnout and a broad, nationwide victory,'' Cheney said. ``President Bush ran forthrightly on a clear agenda for this nation's future and the nation responded by giving him a mandate.''

After pausing to take advantage of the period generously alloted to "reflect on the results," I've decided that is the worse part: all the unreflective blowhards, pissants, creationists, chickenhawks, uncle-fuckers, crackers and jackasses in the country are probably feeling pretty well vindicated by this clumsy demonstration of the fact that more people tend to think like them than like, say, Robert Reuben or Abraham Lincoln.

The upside -- if you can call it that -- it is Bush who will still be standing there smirking when the shit really starts to hit the fan. (A comment, I realize, that suggests that we haven't all been splattered by a pile of crap already.)